sediment sources, cells and budgets

Question 1

what is an important input into a coastline apart from energy?

Answer 1

sediment

Question 2

what are the sources of sediment?

Answer 2

streams/rivers flowing into the sea
estuaries
cliff erosion
shells

Question 3

who do offshore deposits add sediment?

Answer 3

wind and waves can carry sediment into the coastal system from deposits such as sand banks

Question 4

where does sediment movement occur?

Answer 4

in distinct areas known as sediment cells

Question 5

what are sediment cells?

Answer 5

areas of coastline that are well defined through barriers such as headlands
inouts and outputs are balanced

Question 6

what kind of system are sediment cells?

Answer 6

closed

but it is easy for fine sediment to be lost or added

Question 7

how many sediment cells are there around wales and england?

Answer 7

11

Question 8

what are sediment cells further split into and why?

Answer 8

subcells as it is easier to study and manage

Question 9

what is an example of a sub cell?

Answer 9

flamborough head to the humber

Question 10

what is a sediment budget?

Answer 10

the balance between sediment being added and sediment being taken away

Question 11

what is a positive sediment budget?

Answer 11

when more material is added to the coastline than taken away
shoreline builds up

Question 12

what is a negative sediment budget?

Answer 12

more material is removed

shoreline retreats backwards

Question 13

what is a sediment sink?

Answer 13

a point in which sediment is irretrievably lost from a coastal cell
such as a deep sea channel or estuary

Question 14

how can humans affect the sediment budget?

Answer 14

through management such as beach nourishment (adds to input)

groynes (takes away input)

Question 15

how might sediment be lost by rivers?

Answer 15

lost into estuaries if coast is of a low gradient